After its memorable return to the Olympic program during Rio 2016, golf is back for the Tokyo games this year.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has seen several players pull out - 2020 and 2019 US Open champions Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau the latest - a star-studded international field, both men's and women's, will chase gold for their countries.
Local and Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama will be favoured in the men's tournament, in a field that also includes Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Colin Morikawa, as well as Australians Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman.
In the women's, World No. 1 Nelly Korda will lead the USA, along with a strong South Korean contingent including Jin Young Ko and Inbee Park, while Hannah Green and recent Evian Championship winner Minjee Lee will carry the flag for Australia.
The format of the event will be a traditional 72-hole stroke play event over the course of four days. Unlike PGA and LPGA Tour events, there will be no cut.
TOKYO OLYMPICS GOLF SCHEDULE, HOW TO WATCH
Event | Date (AEST) | Time (AEST) | Watch |
Men's Round 1 | July 29th | 8:30am-5:03pm | 7Plus |
Men's Round 2 | July 30th | 8:30am-5:03pm | 7Plus |
Men's Round 3 | July 31st | 8:30am-5:03pm | 7Plus |
Men's Final Round | August 1st | 8:30am-5:03pm | 7Plus |
Women's Round 1 | August 4th | 8:30am-5:03pm | 7Plus |
Women's Round 2 | August 5th | 8:30am-5:03pm | 7Plus |
Women's Round 3 | August 6th | 8:30am-5:03pm | 7Plus |
Women's Final Round | August 7th | 8:30am-5:03pm | 7Plus |
WHERE WILL GOLF BE PLAYED IN THE TOKYO OLYMPICS?
The golf event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be played at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama, just over 50 kilometres northwest of Tokyo.
Founded in 1929, the par 71 course is one of Japan's oldest, and has hosted some of the nation's biggest golf events, including the Japan Junior Golf Championship and the Asian Amateur Championship.
The course will play 7,447 yards for the men and 6,648 yards for the women.
AUSTRALIANS IN THE TOKYO OLYMPICS GOLF EVENT
Australia has taken a strong golf team to Tokyo consisting of Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Minjee Lee and Hannah Green.
Cameron Smith
Birthplace: Brisbane, Australia
PGA Rank: 28th
PGA Tour Wins: 3
Marc Leishman
Birthplace: Warrnambool, Victoria
PGA Rank: 36th
PGA Tour Wins: 6
Minjee Lee
Birthplace: Perth, Australia
LPGA Rank: 14th
LPGA Tour Wins: 6
Hannah Green
Birthplace: Perth, Australia
LPGA Rank: 16th
LPGA Tour Wins: 2
TOKYO OLYMPICS GOLF TEE TIMES
Men's Round 1 Tee Times (AEST)
8:30am – Rikuya HOSHINO (Japan), Thomas PIETERS (Belgium) Sepp STRAKA (Austria)
8:41am – Adri ARNAUS (Spain), Sami VALIMAKI (Finland), Matthias SCHWAB (Austria)
8:52am – Sebastian MUNOZ (Colombia), Henrik NORLANDER (Sweden), Joachim B. HANSEN (Denmark)
9:03am – Carlos ORTIZ (Mexico), Antonie ROZNER (France), Guido MIGLIOZZI (Italy)
9:14a.m – Xander SCHAUFFELE (USA), Abraham ANCER (Mexico), Christiaan BEZUIDENHOUT (South Africa)
9:25am – Justin THOMAS (USA) Jaoquin NIEMANN (Chile), Paul CASEY (Great Britain)
9:41am – Hideki MATSUYAMA (Japan) Marc LEISHMAN (Australia), Corey CONNERS (Canada)
9:52am – C.T. PAN (Chinese Taipai), Ryan FOX (New Zealand), Anirban LAHIRI (India)
10:03am – Hurly LONG (Germany), Yechun YUAN (China), Gavin GREEN (Malaysia)
10:14a.m – K.K. JOHANNESSEN (Norway) Adrian MERONK (Poland), Gunn CHAROENKUL (Thailand)
10:25am – Rory SABBATINI (Slovakia), Mito PEREIRA (Chile), Renato PARATORE (Italy)
10:36am – Jhonattan VEGAS (Venezuela), Thomas DETRY (Belgium), Kalle SAMOOJA (Finland)
10:47am – Mackenzie HUGHES (Canada), Alex NOREN (Sweden), Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (Thailand)
11:03am – Rasmus HOJGAARD, Denmark, Romain LANGASQUE, France, Si Woo Kim, South Korea
11:14am – Viktor HOVLAND, Norway, Cameron SMITH (Australia), Garrick HIGGO (South Africa)
11:25am – Collin MORIKAWA (USA), Rory McILROY (Ireland), Sungjae IM (South Korea)
11:36am – Patrick REED (USA), Tommy FLEETWOOD (Great Britain), Shane LOWRY, (Ireland)
11:47am – Rafael CAMPOS (Puerto Rico), Max KIEFFER (Germany), Ashun WU (China)
11:58am – Fabrizio ZANOTTI (Paraguay), Juvic PAGUNSAN (Philippines), Scott VINCENT (Zimbabwe)
12:09am – Udayan MANE, (India) Ondrej LIESER (Czech Republic), Jorge CAMPILLO (Spain)